Two-speed rear axle



D. D. ORMSBY Two-SPEED REAR AAXLE April 4, 1939'. 2,152,771

Filed March 16, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1` April 4, 1939. 'f 'n D. oRMsBY;2,152,771

TWO-SPEED REAR .AXLE

Filed March 16 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 4, 1939.

D. D. oRMsBY 2,152,771 Two-SPEED REAR AXLE Filed March A16, '193s 5Sheets-sheet 4 "I llllllll D. D. oRMsBY 2,152,771 I Two-SPEED i April 4,1939.

REAR mais Filed Maron 1e, i936 5vSheets-Sheet 5u Patented Apr. 4, l1.939

UNITED STATES Two-SPEED amm ma Donald D. Ormsby, Buchanan, Mich.,assignor to Clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Application March 16, 1936, Serial No. 69,032v

21 Claims. Cl. ilk-327)v The present invention relates generally to rearor driving axles for automotive vehicles or the like and is principallyconcerned with certain new and improved means whereby the drive may betransmitted at two optional gear ratios.- More specifically, the presentinvention is concerned with two-speed axles which are designed toaugment but not to replace the usual change speed transmission.

Heretofore, various types of double reduction and two-speed axles havebeen proposed, but in the majority lof instances the means proposed werein the form of relatively complicated mechanisms requiring greatlyenlarged axle housings and usually including a multiplicity of gears.

Some of these gears were in constant engagement, whether operating idlyor under load, and this resulted in excessive noise and wear of theparts. Further, many of the two-speed and double reduction axles withwhich I am familiar require excessively large axle housings and areA ofsuch construction that clearances, both as regards the roadway and thevehicle body, are greatly reduced.

With the above factors in mind, the principal object of the presentinvention is the provision of a new and improved two-speed rear axle ofsimplified and sturdy construction. Another object of the presentinvention is the provision of a two-speed axle in which there are nomeshing idly rotating gears and in which all the gears that are in meshare those necessary to transmit the loads involved.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of new andimproved means for shifting the parts of the two-speed axle from oneposition to another, and in this connection a further object of thepresent invention is the provision of such shifting means that a simplecontrol member may be moved in one direction or the other to not onlyengage the associated parts but also to move other parts out ofengagement so that no meshing idly rotating gears are present at anytime.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent to'those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description of the preferred structural embodiments,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating thesame.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken through an axle so constructedaccording to the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2,is a horizontal section similar to Figure 1 but including partstaken along a higher plane so as to show one portion of the shiftingmechanism;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section similar to Figure 2 but showing anotherposition of the shift- 5 ing mechanism;

Figure 4 is a section taken approximately along the line 4-4 of Figure2, with the shift rod in neutral position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but 10 shows the shift rod inanother position;

Figure 6 is 'a section taken along the line'Ii-S of Figure 4; l

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2 but shows a modified form ofshifting mechanism; 15

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section taken approximately along the line 8-8ofFigure 7; and

Figures 9, 10 and 11 are sections taken along the lines 9-9, Ill-I0 andII-I I, respectively, of Figure 8. 20

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, it will be noted that thestructure chosen to illustrate the principles of the present inventiontakes the form of a tWo-speeddriving axle'for automotive, vehicles, suchas trucks and the like, 'al- 25 though it is to be understood that thepresent invention is just as applicable to passenger and other cars asit is to trucks and other types of vehicles. The axle housing ispreferably but not necessarily of the banjo type as shownin United 30States Patent No. 1,926,353, issued September 12, 1933, and includes adifferential carrier and portions 2 and 3 adapted to receive a pair ofaligned axle tubes or extensions (not shown) and' an enlarged banjosection.4 which serves to receive 35 the differential carrier I and tohouse the prin-i cipal partsof the gear driving train. The forward andrear faces of the banjo section are finished so as to receive a casting'or housing 6 in the form of a differential carrier anda '40 rearhousing or cover plate 1, these parts being securely fastened in placeby aplurality of cap screws Ill and II, respectively. The differentialcarrier 6 includes an integral forwardly extending sleeve I2 whichreceives a drive pinion shaft 45 I5, the latter being supported in thesleeve section I2 by roller bearing means I6 and I'l and is provided atits rear endwith a driving pinion I9 and at its forward end with splines20 to receive the hub .of a universal joint ange 2l. If 50 desired, ofcourse, the driving pinion I9 might be fcrmedseparately from the pinionshaft I5 and rigidly fastened thereto in any suitable manner.

In the type of axle construction illustrated in 55 the drawings, thedifferential and other driving parts are supported upon the differentialcarrier 6 independentlyv of the axle shafts, the latter being indicatedby the reference numerals 25 and 26. According to .the principles of thepresent inventioma driving gear member'30 having an extendedhub section3| is journaled'for rotation upon heavy duty bearings 32 ofthe doublerow type disposed at one side of the differential carinner race 36 ismounted against a shoulder on.

the hub 3| of the driving gear member 30 and is securely held in placeby a pair of locking nuts 3`| and a locking washer 38. i

The driving gear member is formed with a pair of gear sections and 4|,the former being in the form of the usual bevel or ring gear mesh-A ingat all times with the driving pinion I9, although in the presentinstance the gear section 40 is an integral part of the driving gear 30.The other gearsection 4| ofthe member 30 is in the form of a spur orhelical gear disposed on the back of the ring gear section 40 Vand ofsubstantially the same diameter and disposed closely adjacent thereto sothat, so far as the driving gear member 30 is concerned, the additionalspace required for the gear member 30 as compared with conventionalconstructionis relativelysmall.

The differential mechanism is indicated-v in its entirety by thereference numeral 41 and consists of a differential cage or case 48having oppositely extending hub portions 49-and 50. The section 49 isrelatively short, as in conventional practice, and is supported bybearing means 53 in the differential carrier 6. The latter carries abearing cap 55, and this latter part, together with the associatedportions of the differential carrier 6,

is formed with a radially inwardly directed shouldered portion 56lagainst which the outer ,race 51 of the bearing means 53 is disposed.The outer race is held in proper position by a threaded cap 59.

The, opposite hub section 50 of the differential case 48 is extendedaxially outwardly beyond the bearings 32 upon which the driving gearmember 30 is rotatably supported. The outer surfaces of the extended hub50 are finished, as at 60 and 6|, lto receive roller bearing means 63and 64 by which the portion of the differential case 48 opposite the hubsection 49 is supported for rotation within the hub 3| of the drivinggear member 30,' the hub 3| of the latter being formed to receive' theroller bearing means 63 and 64. Thus, one end of the differential caseis supported directly on the differential carrier 6 while 40 is rigidlyfastened to the dlierential case or cage, but according to theprinciples of the present invention this -member ismounted for rotationrelative to the differential and suitable optionally controlled means isprovided for transmitting the drive from the driving gear 30 to thediierential at two diiere'nt ratios, one preferably being the direct'oroneto'one ratio and the other being a speed reducing ratio.

The direct or one-toj-one ratio is established 1n case 48.

a simple and convenient manner by means of a I 'Hl is mounted forlsliding movement axially of the housing. A-shoulder on the differentialcase acts to limit the movement of the shiftable member 10 in oneposition. The driving gear member 30, which is mounted for rotationabout the same axis as the differential case 48, includes a toothedsection provided with clutch teeth 83 disposed closely adjacent to andhaving the same pitch diameter as the teeth 'Il on the differential Thecluch teeth on the shiftable member 'I0 are long enough so that when themember '|0 is shifted to the left, as viewed in .Figure 3, a directrigid connection is established between the driving member 30 and thedifferential case 48. Thus, in the shifted position of the sleeve 'I0the two members 30 and 48 rotate together and the axle shafts 25 and. 26are driven by which a spline shaft is mounted for rotation in a positionspaced radially, and preferably but not necessarily rearwardly, of theaxis of the axle shafts 25 and 26. Bearing caps 96 and 91 are secured tothe side walls over the ends of the spline shaft 95 in leak-tightrelation. A compound or spool gear member 98 is mounted for shiftablebut non-rotatable movement on the spline shaft 95 and is formed orprovided with lateral gear sections |00 and |0| having teeth |02 and|03, respectively. If the teeth on the gear sections 4| and 90 are spurteeth, then the gear sections |00 and |0| are similarly formed.Likewise, if helical teeth are formed on the sections 4| and 90, thenthe gear sections of the compound gear 98 are provided with helicalteeth. If desired, by suitably proportioning the gears 4|, 90, |00 and|03, a step-up arrangement may be produced to secure an over drive,rather than a reduced drive as illustrated.

The compound gear sections |00 and I 0| are not of the same diameter, asindicatedin Figure 1 f the larger section being adapted in one positionof the compound gear member 98'to mesh with the driving gear section 4|while the smaller gear section |0| is adapted in that position of thecompound gear member 98 to mesh with the gear V90 rigidly carried on thediierential case 48. The compound gear member 98 is shiftable into andout of the position in which both of the gear sections |00 and |0| meshwith the associated gears.

and to this end the compound gear member 98 carries a shifter groove |05receiving a laterally movable shift fork |06 controlled by any suitablemeans. A

Thus, by virtue ofthe construction described above, when the clutchmember 10 is shifted into disengaged position, shown. in Figure 1, thecompound gear member y98 may beshifted from its er, respectively, thanthe gears 90 and |00, the

drive transmitted in this manner is slower than when the drive istransmitted by disengaging the compound gearl 98 and shifting the clutchmember 10 to the position shown in Figure 3. lIt is to be noted,however, that when the compound gear member 98 is moved into its dottedline position (Figure 1) to permit the clutch member 10 to be shifted tothe position shown in Figure 3, there are no meshing gears rotatingidly, both gear sections and |0| being out of engagement with thecompanion gear sections 4| and 90,

and the only gears that are in mesh are those doing work. In this way,no unnecessary noise or wear occurs. It is also to be noted that thevertical dimension ofthe axle housing, especially the banjo section 4,need not be made much if any larger than in conventional practice, theonly housing extension necessary to accommodate the gear reduction meansbeing that provided on the rearwardly disposed portion 1a of the coverplate section 1.

Since it is necessary in a rear axle construction of the type justdescribed to provide shifting means insuring that either of theshiftable parts will be out. of mesh with the associated parts beforethe other is brought into mesh or engagement, the present inventioncontemplates new and improved shifting mechanism especially adapted forthe two speed axle described above. Referring nowl to Figures 2to 6,inclusive, a pair of laterally movable shift rods |20 and I2| aremounted for movement in the side walls |22 and |23 forming the part ofan upper extension of the rear banjo cover housing 1. The shift fork |06(Figures 1 and 4) controlling the compound gear 98, is xed at its upperend to the shift rod |20, and the clutch sleeve member 10 is controlledI by a shift fork |24 having arms |25 and |26 disposed in the shifter-groove 14 formed on the member 10. The shift-fork |24 isvxed at itsupper end to the other shift rod I2|. Yokes |30 and |3| are also xedlysecured to the shift rods |20 and I2|, respectively, and if desired theyokes |30 and |3| maybe formed as integral parts of or connecteddirectly to .the upper ends of the shift forks |06 and |24,respectively. Notches |33 and |34 facing one another are formed in theshift yokes |30 and |3|.

The mechanism for controlling the shift rods |20 and I2| andalternatively moving the latter includes a single control rod |31carried for unidirectional shifting movement Vin the side walls |22 and|23, and disposed vertically above but in 'substantially the samevertical plane as the rod |31 is a transverse wall structure |38 thatincludes two sections |39 and |40, preferably secured, as by screws |42,to the'side walls |22 and |23. The wall sections |39 and |40 just abovethe shiftable rod |31 are separated by a slot |45 an-l gled as bestshown in Figures 2 and 3. The control rod |31 carries a lug |41, shapedas shown in Figures i and andadapted to be placed optionally in thenotch |33 or the notch |34, according to whether the rod |31 is moved tothe right or to the leftas viewed in Figure 2.

The lug |41 is mounted for rotation on the rod |31 but is restrainedagainst axial displacementby means best shown in- Figures '4 to 6.

` The lug |41 has a hub section |50 mounted on the rod |31 and aneccentric disposed bore |5| is formed therein and adapted to receive apin |52. The latter extends into a groove |53 formed about thecircumference of the portion of the rod |31 Within the lug hub |50, andthe pin |52 is held in place-by upper and lower pins or cotter keys |55and |56. lIfhus, the lug |41 is free to rock about the rod |31 but isrestrained against an movement longitudinally of the rod.

'Ihe lug |41 Ais automatically shifted from one side of the wall |38,wherel it engages oneI of the shift yokes, to the opposite side where itengages the other shift yoke. As mentioned above,

the walls of the notch or passageway |45 are in` vwall of the notch |45,a component of force is established which yrocks the lug |41 about therod |31 as an axis into the notch |34 formed on the shift yoke |3|,which controls the clutch member 10. The direction of rocking of the lug|41 is shown by the arrow placed on the same in Figure 2. After the lugv|41 has been ldisposed within the notch |34, the lug engages the wall ofthe same opposite the inclined wall so that further movement of thecontrol rod |31 in the direction of the arrow placed on the same inFigure 2 causes the lug |41 to pick up theyoke |3| and shift the clutchmember fromthe position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Fig-As best illustrated in Figure 2, when ure 3.4 During this movement theshift' yoke.l30

movement is prevented. Then the lug |41 is free to be rocked through theopening |45, leaving the shift yoke |3| in the position indicated inFigure 2 and, with continued movement of the control rod |31 to theright as viewed in Figure 3, it picks upv the other shift yoke |30andmoves the latter to the position indicated in Figure 3 in dottedlines. The movement of the yoke |30 to its dotted line position (Figure3) shifts the compound gear 98 into engagement with the gearmembers.4|and 90, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. When therod |31 isshifted back in the other direction, it first causes the shift yoke |30to move from its dotted line position (Figure 3) to the position shownin full lines, and then the lug 41 is rocked back into engagementwiththe other shift yoke |3| to pick upthe latter and shift the same intothe position shown in Figure 3. Thus, the shift mechanism I haveprovided is adapted upon merely moving the same in one direction or theother to engage the change speedmeans'in either one position or theother 4 y and. at the same time, absolutely insures that the ratio notselected will not be engaged but will be left in its disengaged positionbefore the movable gear means is startedtoward engagement to secure the'other-gear ratio. The usual spring pressed ball detent mechanism or theequivalent is preferably associated with the shift rods |20 and |2|, andwith the control rod |31, if desired.

According .to the principles of the present invention, another form ofshift control mechanism can be provided for controlling the shiftableclutch member 10 and the shiftable compound gear member 98. Referringnow more particularly to Figures 7 to 11, inclusive, the rear coverhousing 1 may be provided with an upper and laterally disposed extension1b having upper and lower openings in which a pair of shift rods |104and |1| are disposed, as best shown in Figure 8, one above the other.The shift rod |10 carries a fork |15 which engages the groove |05 formedin the compound gear member 98, as best shown in Figure 1, and the othershift rod |1| carries a shift fork |16 which engages in the shift groovev'14 formed on the shiftable clutch member 10 so that, like the shiftforks |08 andll24, described above, the members |15 and |16 control thepositions of the clutch member 10 and the gear member 98. Preferably,but not necessarily, one end of the housing extension 10 is closed by acap |80', and the latter is provided with suitable openings receivingand slidably supporting the laterally outer ends ofthe shift rods '|10and |1|.

If desired, the cap member 80 may be made thickenough to accommodate abore |82 for each of the shift rod openings and in each bore there isdisposed a spring |89 and a ball detent |84. The latter membercooperates with notches |88 and |81 formed in each of the shift rodsforthe purpose of releasably holding each of them in either of its twopositions.

The upper shift rod |10 adjacent thedetent notches |86 and |81 isprovided witha flattened section |90 serving as a rack provided withrack teeth |9|. The lower shift-rod |1| is formed in a similar mannerwith a flattened rack section |94 (Figure 8) having rack teeth |95.Adjacent the two sets of teeth a control member |98 is mounted forrotation about a generally vertical axis dened by the shaft |99. Thecontrol member |98 constitutes, in effect, three gear sectorsormutilated gear sections indicated, respectively, at 20|, 202 and 203,and best shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11. The gear sections 20| and 203are arranged oppositely with respect to each other and are disposed,respectively, in the planes of the rack sections |90 and |94. The teethl286 and 201 formed on these mutilated gear sections extend in oppositedirections about the periphery of the control member |98 an angulardlstanceof approximately 90 degrees in the illustrated embodiment. 'Theadjacent teeth ofthe two sections, indicated respectively at 20611, and201a are half teeth or less, so as to permit the control member |98 tocontinue to rotate after one or the .other of the associated shift rodshas been moved into the desired position. That is, the control member|98 may be rotated farther in thedlrection of the arrow shown in Figure9, but in doing so the teeth 206and 206a merelyA separate from the rack|90, leaving the shift rod |10 in that position. Similarly, the member|98 may be rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 11 soas to carry the teeth 201 and 201a out of engagement with the rack teethon the rack drive.

|94, and this also leaves the shift rod |1| in position.v v

The control member |98 is actuated by a longltudinally disposed controlrod 2|0 slidably mounted at its rear end in an apertured boss section2|| (Figure 7) formed on the housing extension 1b and, forwardlythereof. in an apertured boss portion 2|3 of a cap 2|4. The rear endportion of the control rod 2| 0 is provided with a rack section 2|5having teeth 2 I6 meshing with the teeth 2|1 of the intermediate sector202 on the control member |98. The teeth 2| 1 extend substantially 180degrees about the periphery of the control member |98, andthe length ofthe-rack section 2|5 on the control rod 2|0 is of corresponding length.l

Movement of the control rod 2|0 longitudinally of the vehicle rocks thecontrol member |98 in one direction or the other. I! the control rod 2|0 is moved forwardly, the control member |98 will be rocked in4 aclockwise direction (Figure 7). This carries the teeth 206 and 206a awayfrom the rack |90 on the upper shift rod |10, the latter thus remainingin the position in which the compound gear 98 is entirely disengaged.However, rotation of the control member |98'in a.

shifted to the left (Figure 3), thereby directly connecting the drivinggear 30 with the differential case 48. The rear axle is then in directWhen it is desired to disengage direct drive and engage the low speeddrive, the control rod 2|0 is irst moved back to the position shown inFigure '1, this counterclockwise move'-,I ment first causing the'teeth201 to move the lower shift rod |1| back'to the position shown in Figure11, thereby disengaglng the clutch member 10. Thereupon continuedvrearward movement of the control rod 2|0 will cause the teeth 206 toengage the teeth |9| on the upper shift vrod |10. Movement of the latterwill then bringthe .compound gear member 98 to the position shown indotted lines in Figure 1 in which both of the gear sections |00 and |0|thereof are engaged, respectively, with the gears 4| and 90. In thisposition the drive is thus transmitted to the vdifferential case at areduced rate. It is to be noted that in each case the shifting mechanismI have provided is simple and effective and that there is no possibilitythat either selected gear ratio can be engaged unless the other `isdisengaged.

", While I1 'have shown and"described vabove the preferred constructionin which the principles of -the present invention have been embodied, itis to -be understood that my invention is not to be limited to thespecific details shown and described, but that, in fact, widelydifferent means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspectsofvmy invention. l

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1.,A two speed driving axle for automotiveV vehicles and the likecomprising .an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a gear member fixed to said differential case. a drivinggearrotatably mounted on said differential case and ln concentricrelation with respect thereto, a clutch member movably carried by saiddifferential case in aposition between said driving gear and said gearmember and Shiftable into of said members upon uni-directionalmovement.l

a position for directly connecting'said drivingl gear with saiddiierential case,.means for actuating said driving gear and gear changemeans operable simultaneously with said clutch member for connectingsaid x'ed gear member to said driving gear after said clutch member hasbeen shifted out of engagement with the driving gear so as to drive saiddiierential case from said. driving gear through said gear change means.

2. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a gear member fixed to said differential case, a driving gearrotatably mounted in concentric relation with respect to saiddiierential case, and a compound gear member including two rigidlyconnected gear sections and mounted for shifting movement into and outof engagement with both said gear member and said driving gear forcausing the latter to drive said gear member at a ratio dependent uponthe relation between said gear sections. p

3. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a gear member fixed-to said diierential case, a driving gearrotatably mounted 'in concentric relation with respect to saiddifferential case, a. compound gear member including two rigidlyconnected gear sections and mounted for shifting movement into and outof simultaneous engagement with said gear member and said driving gearfor causing the latter to drive the differential case through said gearmember and saidl gear sections, a clutch member movably carried by saiddiilerential case and shiftable into a position for directly connectingthe driving gear thereto when said gear sections are disengaged,respectively, from said gear member and said driving gear, and commonmeans connected to said compound gear member and said clutch member, andoperable to iirst. disengage one of said members and then engage theother 4. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and thelike'comprising an axle housing, a differential case disposed withinsaidhous` ing and having hub portions at opposite ends thereof, bearingmeans supporting the hub portion at one end in said housing, a. drivingbevel gear mounted within said housing in concentric relation withrespect to said differential case and including a hub portion embracingthe other hub portion of said differential case, bearing meanssupporting the hub portion of said bevel gear in said housing, bearingmeans supporting said other hub portion of the diierential case in thehub portion of said bevel gear, and optionally controlled means arrangedto connect said bevel gear with said dilerential case.

5. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case mounted therein, bearingmeans supporting one end of said case for rotation relative to saidhousing, the other end of said diierential case including an extendedhub portion, a combined spur and bevel ring' gear disposed in said axlehousing in concentric relation with respect to said differential case,bearing means mounting said combined gear in said axle housing at theside opposite said rst bearing means, said combined gear having a hubportion receiving the extended hub portion of said differential case,`bearingmeans supporting the extended hub portion of said diierentialcase in the hub of said combined gear, a clutch member shiftably mountedfor optionally connecting said combined gear and said differential casefor driving the latter from the former, and gear reduction meansoptionally associated with said spur gear section for driving thediierential case from said combined gear at a reduced rate.

6. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a di'erential case disposed Within saidhousing andl having hub portions at opposite ends thereof, bearing meanssupporting the hub portions at one end in said housing, a driving bevelgear mounted within said housing in concentric relation with respect tosaid differential case and including a hub portion embracingthe otherhub portion of said differential case, bearing means supporting the hubportion of said bevel gear in said housing, bearing means supportingsaid other hub portion of the differential case in the hub portion ofsaid bevel gear, means for driving said bevel gear includinga drivepinion shaft and a drive pinion carried thereby in engagement with saidbevel gear, and means for optionally connecting the latter with'saiddiierential case to rotate therewith, including a clutch membershiftably carried upon the din'erential case substantially in thevertical plane of said drive pinion shaft and movable into and out ofengagement with said bevel gear.

'1. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a diierential case rotatably mountedtherein, a power driven gear member mounted for rotation relative tosaid dierential case and about the same axis of rotation, means servingas a lay shaft mounted in said axle housing generally .parallel withrespect to the axis ofrotation of said differential 'case and said powerdriven gear member, a second gear member rigidly fixed to saiddifferential case, and a compound gear mema bevel gear section and anadjacent gear section,

a second gear member rigidly secured to said diierential case adjacentthe opposite side thereoi and fixed thereto against rotation, a splineshaft rotatably mounted in said axle housing and spaced from saiddiierential case, a compound -gear member including axial spaced gearsections adapted to engage said fixed gear and the gear section disposedadjacent' the bevel-l gear section, said compound gear member beingshiftable on said spline shaft to carry said gear sections into and outof mesh, and a clutch member shiftably mounted on the splined peripheralportion of said differential case and adapted to optionally connect saidrotatably mounted Igear member for direct rotation with the differentialcase.

9. A -two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles `and. the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a pair of gear members disposed on opposite sides of thedifferential case, one being rotatable with respect thereto and theother being xed, shaft means for driving said rotatable gear member, ashiftable clutch member movable axially with of shift rods respectivelyconnected -with said shiftable members and arranged in parallelism.

with respect to the axis of rotation of said differential case, acontrol member for said shift rods mounted for movement in said housingin either direction and adapted when moved in one vdirection from aneutral position to pick up one of 'said rods and leave the other in itsneutral position and adapted when moved in the other direction torestore said one rod to its neutral position and pick up and shift theother rod, and means for operating said control member including a rodshiftably carried by said housing.

10. In a two speed driving axle including an axle housing and twoshiftable members movably mounted therein, the combination of a pair oftransversely disposed shift rods vrespectively connected with saidmembers to control the latter, a rockably mounted member disposed be-v`tween and adapted to engage either of said shift rods, a control rodsupporting said member and adapted to shift the same, and a partitionmember disposed between said rods and having anA angled opening thereinat one point to provide for the movement of said rockable member out ofengagement with one of said shift rods and into 'engagement with theother shift rod during movement of said rockable member by said controlrod.

1p1. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a diierential case rotatably mountedtherein, a pair of gear members disposed on opposite sides of thedifferential case, one being rotatable with respect thereto and theother being xed, means for driving said rotatable gear member, ashiftable clutch member movable axially with respect to saiddifferential case and shiftable into and out of engagement with saidrotatable member A for connecting the latter and said differential caseto rotate together, a second shiftable member disposed in the rearportion of said axle housing and movable into engagement with said. gearmembers to drive the differential case lfrom said rotatable gear memberat a different rate, a pair of shift rods respectively connected withsaid shiftable members and arranged in parallelism with respect to theaxis of rotation of said differential case, a control member for saidshift rods mounted for vrotation in said housing and including toothedsections for-shiftingi-said rods,

and means for operating said control member -including a rod shiftablycarried by said housing at right angles with respect vto the axis ofrotal tion of vsaid differential case and having a rack and pinionconnection with said control member for rotating the same in bothdirections.

12. In a two speed driving axle including an axle housing and a pair ofshiftable members disposed therein, the combination of a pair of shiftrods movably mounted in said housing for lateral shifting movement andconnected, respectively, with said members, there beingvrack teethformed on the outer end of each of said rods, a control member rotatablymounted in said housing adjacent the outer ends of said rods, saidcontrol member including means serving as oppositely disposed gearsectors arranged to mesh with the rack teeth on' said rods, dtent meanshaving a rack andpinion engagement with said control member for rotatingthe latter.

13. Shifting mechanism for change gear means for a rear axle gearinghaving a pair of shiftably mounted members, said shiftingmechanismcomprising a pair of shift rods, each having a 'por- 4 tionformed as `a rack, a control member comprising means serving as a pairof oppositely disposed mutilated gear sectors engageable respectivelywith said rack portions, and a third gear sector, .and means foractuating said control member comprising a rack operative when moved inone direction to actuate said shift rods in sequence.

14. A two speed driving yaxle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a gear member xed to said differential case, a driving gearrotatably mounted in concentric relation with respect to saiddifferentiall case, a compound ge'ar member including two 'rigidlyconnected gear sections and mounted for shifting movement into and outof engagement with said gear member and said driving gear, a clutchmember movably carried by said differential case and shiftable into aposition' for directly connecting the driving gear thereto when saidgear sections are disengaged from said gear member and said drivinggear,said compound gear member and said clutch member each having a shiftmechanism receiving means disposed in a plane between said rst mentionedgear member and said driving gear, and shift mechanism movable generallyparallel to the axes of said compound gearfand 15.,A two speed drivingaxle for automotive vehicles and the like comprising an axle housing,

a differential case rotatably mounted therein and carrying a peripheralset of splines, adrivl ing gear member rotatably mounted on thedifferential case at one side thereof and including a bevel gear sectionand an adjacent gear section, a second vgear member rigidly secured tosaid differential case adjacent the oppositey side thereof and 'fixedthereto against rotation, a spline shaft rotatably mounted in said axlehousing and spaced in a radial direction from said differential case, acompound gear member including axially spaced gear sections adapted toengage said ixed gear and the gear section disposed adjacent the bevelgear section, said compound gear member having a shift groove andshiftable on said spline shaft to carry said gear sections into and outof mesh, a clutch member shiftably mounted on the splined peripheralportion of said differential case between said driving gear member andsaid second gear member 5 clutch and compound gear members.

16. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising a ldifferential case rotatably mounted therein and carrying aperipheral set of splines, a driving gear member rotatably mounted onthedifferential case at one side thereof and including a bevel gear sectionand an adjacent gear section, a second gear member rigidly secured tosaid differential case adjacent the opposite side thereof and tatablymounted in said axle housing and spaced in a radial direction from saiddifferential case, a

compound gear member including axially spaced gear sections adapted toengage said xed gear and the gear section disposed adjacent the bevelgear section, said compound gear member having a shift groove andshiftable on said spline shaft to carry said gear sections into and outof mesh,

peripheral portion of said differential case b'etween said driving gearmember and said second gear member and adapted to optionally connectsaid rotatably mounted gear member for direct rotation with thedifferential case, said clutch member having a shift groove that isdisposed in a plane lying alongside the plane of said first shiftgroove, a pair of shift forks disposed adjacent said planes andengageable in the shift grooves of said clutch and compound gearmembers, two laterally extending shift rods disposed in parallelism withrespect to said compound gear member and connected, respectively withlsaid shift forks, a longitudinally extending control rod extendingalongside said second gear member,

shift rods.

17. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a pair of gear members disposed on opposite sides of thedifferentialcase, one being rotatable with respect thereto and the otherbeing fixed, a clutch member movably carried by said differential casein a position between said gear members and shiftable into a position"for directly connecting said rotatable gear member with saiddifferential case, and gear change means disposed -in a positiongenerally between the 'ends of said case and adapted to cooperate withsaid gear members to eect a drive therethrough when the clutch member isdisengaged.

18. A two speed.v driving axlel for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, 'a

pair of gear members disposed on opposlte sides y clutch member movablycarried by an axle housing, l

fixed` thereto against rotation, a spline shaft ro- Y a clutch membershiftably mounted on the splined and means connecting said control rodwith saidof the differential case, one being rotatable with respectthereto and the other beingffixed, a said dif` ferential case in aposition between fsaid gear f members, and shiftable into a position fordirectly connecting said rotatable gear member with said differentialcase, gear. change means disposed in a position generally between theplanes, through the ends of the differential case andg engageablealternately with respect to said clutch member,and shift mechanism forcontrolling said clutch member and gear change means and having shiftforks disposed generally :between said gear members. Y,

19. A two speed driving axle for automotive vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a

'pair of gear membersdisposed on opposite sides of the differentialcase, one being rotatable with respect thereto and the other beingfixed, a clutch member movably carried by said differential case in aposition between said gear members and shiftable into a position fordirectly connecting said rotatable 'gear member to said differentialcase, change gear means adapted to connect said gear members anddisposed generally between the radial planes at the ends ofsaiddifferential case, and shift mechanism controlling said clutch memberand said gear change means and having shift forks disposed generallybetween the planes of the laterally inner faces of said gear members.

20. A two speed driving xle for automotive Vehicles and the likecomprising an axle housing, a differential case rotatably mountedtherein, a iirst gear member carried on ysaid differential case at one'side thereof and rotatable about the same axis of rotation, a secondgear member carried on said differential case at the other side thereof,means serving as a lay shaft mounted in said axle housing generallyparallel to the axis of rotation f said differential case and said firstgear member and disposed principally between the radial planes throughthe ends of said differential case, gear change means on said lay shaftand adapted to mesh with said gear means,

lcase, a lay. shaft vdisposed parallel to the axis of said case,shiftable gearchange means on said shaft operable in one position forconnecting said xed gear to said rotatable gear, and means including ashift rod operable in one direction for first disengaging said clutchmeans and then shifting said gear change means to operative position.

DONALD D. ORMSBY.

